Goodbye to a local baseball legend in Steve Nettleton

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In this 1997 file photo, former Chico Heat owner Steve Nettleton and his wife, Kathy, partake in a parade honoring the organization’s Western Baseball League title in downtown Chico. Nettleton and several members of the now-defunct Heat will be honored at tonight’s Outlaws game at Nettleton Stadium. (Ty Barbour/Enterprise-Record file photo)<p class=’dotPhoto’>All Chico E-R photos are available <a href=’http://chicoer.mycapture.com/’>here</a>.</p>

It was the Chico Heat’s home opener of its return in 2016. I was scurrying around finding fans among the crowd of around 3,000 people who’d be willing to share their stories about the Heat coming back.

At one point early in the evening, I found Steve Nettleton seated in the front row, behind home plate, watching the game. I approached him and his wife Kathy to say hello. I reached out to shake his hand; he smiled and kissed my hand instead. That was the kind of gentleman he was.

When I heard that the former Chico Heat owner had died at 80 years old on Friday, I was deeply saddened.

Any time I had interacted with Nettleton, whether it be in passing at a Chico Heat game or even a one-on-one interview, he was always a true gentleman and class act.

I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with Nettleton and his wife back in 2016 when I interviewed them for a story on his induction into the Chico Sports Hall of Fame. It’ll always be one of my favorite interviews.

The Nettletons were kind enough to invite me inside their beautiful home to talk about life and baseball. Nettleton had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and was limited in his wheelchair; his voice was soft and quiet, but you could clearly still see a glimmer of joy in his eyes.

His wife mostly spoke about her husband’s history as a businessman while Steve chimed in when he couldn’t help it. He’d shine a smile whenever his wife shared a story about the early days in their relationship.

Kathy Nettleton recalled that when the two started dating in San Diego, they would sit on the beach, drink a malt and listen to Vin Scully call a Dodgers game on the radio while sitting in Steven’s old Volvo.

It was a story that tugged at my heart.

Baseball meant the world to Steve Nettleton and it was evident as soon as you met him. His office walls were filled with books about baseball and Chico Heat memorabilia. He grew up loving the Dodgers and when he came to Chico he wanted the community to fall in love with the game of baseball, just as he had.

“I think it will be good for the community,” Nettleton told the E-R in a 1996 article. “I could anywhere I want but this is where I want to be and all my friends are here … I love this community. I think the community is ready for baseball.”

He helped start the Chico Heat with the goal of bringing in fun family entertainment to Chico, and he succeeded. Families turned out for Heat games while the team was able to win championships.

During the Heat’s second stint as a collegiate wood-bat team from 2016-2018, Nettleton, despite being in a wheelchair, often found his way to games. He’d be in the front row behind home plate with a handheld radio, listening to either Rory Miller or Mike Baca call the game, and be in pure joy. He couldn’t stay the entire nine innings but I’m sure the moments at the field with his namesake were some of his happiest times.

Steve Nettleton found success whether it be as a businessman or a baseball team owner, but he never shied away from sharing his wealth. He supported a variety of organizations in the community with generous donations, and became legendary for his support.